1. Technical Field
The disclosed technology relates to the field of secure consultation systems.
2. Related Art
Designing integrated circuits is complex and difficult. Electronic Design Automation software provides design automation tools to assist designers of integrated circuits. These tools assist the designer in the creation of design data (for circuit design modules) that can eventually be embodied in an integrated circuit. EDA software attempts to model and validate the circuit design prior to the actual fabrication of the first integrated circuit to that design. The design data generated by the use of EDA software contains the intellectual property of the designer. This intellectual property is extremely valuable, and is zealously protected and is considered by the designer to be their most secure and private data and is thus sensitive data. If the intellectual property becomes known, a competitor can more quickly compete in the marketplace.
EDA software is complex, and even designers who are experienced in its use sometimes need to consult with the developers of the EDA software or with those who have libraries of design data used by the designer. However, obtaining assistance from a consultant entity about an owner's problem with the EDA software (and/or other application program) related to a given design often requires the owner entity of the design to expose their sensitive data used or generated by the EDA software to the consultant entity's technical team.
Such a disclosure increases the risk that the design could be misappropriated. Misappropriation can occur by interception of the sensitive data if it is mailed, couriered, or transmitted over a network, as well as by unauthorized access to the data by rogue persons associated with the consultant entity or the owner entity. In some situations this disclosure could be considered to be a public disclosure and thus vitiate trade secret assertions as to the design. Thus, there is a need for some mechanism to enable the consultant entity to be able to assist the owner entity regarding the owner's problem while keeping the owner entity's sensitive data secure, thus minimizing risk to the owner entity.
In general, however, the consultant entity services multiple owner entities. Thus, the consultant entity must insure that the sensitive data of each owner entity is completely and verifiably kept secret from other owner entities. Each owner entity's sensitive data must be protected against threats that originate within the consultant entity, as well as threats that originate outside the consultant entity. For example, the owner entity's sensitive data must be protected even against trusted site administrators, system administrators, or other privileged users of the consultant entity.
While contractual agreements between the owner entity and the consultant entity can specify damages for the owner entity if the sensitive data is compromised by the consultant entity, proving how, who, and when is difficult, and any damages that may be obtained are often long delayed.
The facility and technology disclosed herein has been used by Synopsys since 2004 and has been made available to selected Synopsys customers since that time under a non-disclosure agreement. This technology has been a factor in closing business deals and has contributed significant revenue to Synopsys. It satisfies a long-standing need in the field of secure consultation systems and is well respected by the companies to which Synopsys has provided the facility.